Apple adds beefy Radeon Pro Vega graphics to MacBook Pro

Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Pro got a big performance boost this morning with the new option to add Radeon Pro Vega graphics to the top-of-the-line model.

Apple quietly mentioned the update after its October 30 event, at which it revealed the new MacBook Air and iPad Pro. The option to add the Radeon Pro Vega graphics just went live on Apple’s site this morning — and the powerful upgrades do not come cheap.

Radeon Pro Vega graphics is a pricey add-on.Photo: Apple

Pricing for the beefier graphics will add an extra $250 to $350 to the final cost of your 15-inch MacBook Pro. There are two options: Radeon Pro Vega 16 with 4GB of HBM2 memory and Radeon Pro Vega 20 with 4GB of HBM2 memory.

There was a little bit of outrage from MacBook Pro fans when Apple revealed the new graphics option. The new chips make the MacBook Pro more powerful in the way that video editors and other professional users need. And Apple added the optional graphics upgrade just a few months after releasing a new MacBook Pro model with weaker GPUs.

With the new graphics options, the price tag on a maxed-out 15-inch MacBook Pro swells to a whopping $7,049. Shipping windows for the MacBook Pros are currently set for five to seven days when you add the Radeon Pro Vega graphics, even if you select in-store pickup.

Apple isn’t expected to release another update for the MacBook Pro until mid-2019 at the earliest. So, if you’ve been considering a new MacBook Pro, this might be the best time to go all-out on Apple’s most powerful portable computer ever.